SWAT: A devastating flash flood in the Swat River swept away at least 18 people on Friday, including 10 members of a single family, according to rescue officials.
Rescuers have so far recovered four bodies, two of them children, and managed to save three people alive, while 11 others are still missing. The operation, which involves about 80 personnel, is ongoing despite the fast current and poor weather conditions.
Adnan, a tourist from Daska, shared the heartbreaking account of losing his family. “Four women and six children from my family were swept away.
Alongside us, three more people drowned. We were having breakfast by the river when the flash flood struck, leaving no time to escape,” he said.
Director General of Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shah Fahad, confirmed that three people stranded in different locations were rescued.
“The water level in the Swat River remains dangerously high, and search operations are underway in five separate areas,” he said.
Heavy monsoon rains triggered flash flooding in local streams, inundating nearby regions and taking both locals and tourists by surprise.
Authorities have warned people to avoid riverbanks and flood-prone zones, especially as further rain is forecast for the coming days in Swat and nearby regions.
Earlier, rescue officials reported three deaths and several missing in similar flooding incidents in the area.
In Lower Dir, a separate rescue effort was launched after five people, including two women and two children, were trapped in the seasonal streams of Munda and Khazana. Rescue 1122, alongside local volunteers, is working to bring them to safety.
Residents in flood-prone areas are being urged to remain alert and stay clear of rivers and seasonal waterways during the monsoon.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast widespread rainfall with isolated heavy showers in Peshawar and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Moist currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, combined with a westerly wave, are fueling the weather system.
Affected districts include Dir, Swat, Malakand, Kohistan, Buner, Shangla, Bajaur, Battagram, and several others. Flash floods are likely in local streams and nullahs, particularly in Galiyat, Mansehra, Nowshera, and Swabi.
The rains may also lead to urban flooding in low-lying areas and landslides that could block roads in hilly regions. Damaged infrastructure, such as weak buildings, poles, and billboards, is also at risk from strong winds and lightning.